Goose Boy
by Luckysee12
Summary: A new take on an old fairy tale, how will Prince Matthew fare when he is stripped of his title by his brother, and becomes nothing but the boy who tends the geese?  Part of the Fairytale Series
1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time, as most fairytales and folk stories begin like, there was a King and a Queen, King Francis and Queen Alice, who had two handsome sons, Prince Matthew, who was the older and smarter of the two, and Prince Alfred, the younger and stronger one.

When the time drew near for the Princes to marry, there was only one Princess of marriageable age, and she lived in a faraway kingdom. It was decided that both Princes would go to the Princess, and the one who she chose would marry her and gain the throne.

They were sent off with many ornaments, gold and silver, trinkets and knickknacks, and everything belonging to a royal trousseau, for the King and Queen loved their sons. They left with a sad farewell, the King and Queen trying not to cry as their sons left to seek the Princess's love.

"Be careful!" The Queen called after them, wishing them a safe trip. The Princes waved back as they went further down the road, just them, to seek their fortunes with the Princess. And that, my children, is where own story begins…


	2. Chapter 2

Prince Matthew and Prince Alfred had been traveling a few days through the forest when they finally saw the Princess's palace, nestled into the mountains. Prince Matthew was glad to finally see their destination was so close. "We're almost to Princess Sakura's palace. I wonder who she will choose." He wondered out loud.

Prince Alfred turned to his brother and spoke fearsomely. "She will choose the only Prince that will be there. Me." "W-What do you mean?" "You are no longer a Prince; you will only be a servant. The Princess will marry **me** and I'll get the throne." Matthew couldn't go against his brother, for his brother was far stronger. "Very well." He meekly agreed.

As they rode farther into the kingdom, Prince Alfred gave some coins to a common peddler for peasant clothing, and old Matthew to dress in them, now that he was forced to servitude. Matthew had no choice but to submit and dress in the garments. Matthew was also told to walk, and he would not ride his horse, for it was a Prince's horse and now Matthew was 'nothing but a lowly servant'.

Prince Alfred made Matthew swear by Heaven not to say a word about the matter, and if he did, he would be killed, Prince or not. They continued their journey, till at length they reached the palace. The widowed King Yao brought his eldest son Prince Im Yong Soo, and the Princess Sakura to greet the Princess's new groom. They did not realize there was to be another Prince.

Matthew was left standing in the courtyard, not sure as what to do, when the King's eye fell upon him. The King asked Prince Alfred who he had brought with him, and had left in the courtyard. "Oh," The Prince replied, "It is only one of my servants I brought to keep me company on the journey. Give the boy something to do, so he won't be idle."

The King agreed. "I have a girl who tends the geese. He can help her look after them." Matthew was soon taken to look after the geese with the girl, whose name was Katyusha. They took care of the geese, herding them to and from the meadow where they would feed.

They would talk while the geese fed, and when they led the sheep back home. "I have a brother, Ivan, who works with the horses, and a young sister Natalya, who is too young to work, that stays home with our grandfather Zima." Katyusha told him one day. "What about your family?" She asked. Matthew couldn't tell her the truth, so he made up a family.

"My family lives in a different kingdom. I have my mother Francesca, and my father Arthur and a younger sister named Amelia." Katyusha nodded and they herded the geese home in silence.

One day Katyusha brought her younger sister with her. "This is Natalya. Natalya, this is my friend Matvey." Katyusha told her sister, calling Matthew by the nickname she gave him. Natalya stretched out her arms to be picked up, and Matthew obliged, holding her in the crook of his arm as he herded the geese to the meadow, whispering of little things and telling her stories his father told him when he was a boy.

"You'd make such a good father," Katyusha smiled. "You'll have to meet Ivan too." Matthew just nodded, and tossed the giggling six-year old Natalya into the air. When the geese were back home and Katyusha was about to take Natalya home, Matthew ran to a nearby shop and bought a ribbon.

Matthew tied it into Natalya's hair, making a large bow in her hair, and a big smile on her face. Matthew waved them off and returned to his own small home. His home was provided by the king and he lived there with two boys who worked with the sheep.

"How was your day?" Feliciano asked, out of tradition. "It was fine. Kat brought her sister Natalya. She said I should meet her brother too." Feliciano and Lovino both paled. They told him that Ivan was mean and scary. Matthew just shook his head and went to bed.

That night, the announcement of the upcoming marriage of Prince Alfred and Princess Sakura was spread throughout the kingdom.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Matthew went to work, he found that Katyusha had brought someone else with her. "Matvey," she said, "This is my brother Ivan. Ivan, this is Matvey." She introduced them. Matthew smiled. "It's nice to meet you Ivan." Ivan nodded in response, not saying much. Natalya ran to Matthew, the ribbon in her hair flopping as she ran.

"Matvey! Matvey! Don't you like big brother Ivan? I'm going to marry him when I get older!" Ivan had a pained look on his face. "Well, Natalya, is it going to be a big wedding?" Matthew teased. "Big! Really big! As big as Prince Alfred and Princess Sakura's wedding!" Matthew winced. "As big as the royal wedding huh?" He said through gritted teeth. "That'd be awfully big." "Anything for big brother!"

Ivan and Natalya walked after Katyusha and Matthew while they herded the geese to the meadow. "I wonder why Matvey didn't like to hear about the royal marriage." Natalya looked up at her brother. "What did you say?" "Oh, nothing, I was just thinking out loud."

As the geese fed, Matthew sat with Natalya in his lap, brushed her pale blonde hair and sang to her.

"Under the light of the silvery moon,

Dance, faeries, dance.

Dance to a frolicsome rhythmical rune,

Dance, faeries, dance.

The faeries circle around their queen,

And dance together upon the green

With many a courtesy low, I ween.

Dance, faeries, dance.

The fireflies lit over forest and field,

Dance, faeries, dance.

Each carries a lantern 'neath wing concealed

Dance, faeries, dance

With footfalls light on the grassy ground

The faeries scamper and race around,

And merrily skipping, they leap and bound,

Dance, faeries, dance.

The fireflies lend such a glimmer and glow,

Dance, faeries, dance.

They zigzag over the dancers slow,

Dance, faeries, dance.

When children asleep in their beds are seen,

The faeries flutter and dance between,

In a kind of mythical mystical sheen.

Dance, faeries, dance."

Natalya smiled. "Where did you learn that song, Matvey?" Matthew smiled too, "My mother used to sing it to me and my brother at night, before we went to sleep."

Ivan looked at Matthew quizzically. "What was your brother's name?" "Oh, his name is Alfred." "Matvey, you told Katyusha that you only had a sister." Matthew's eyes widened when he realized his mistake. "I-I, um…" Matthew couldn't think of anything to cover up his mistake.

"I don't have a sister, actually." He admitted. "Strange that your brother has the same name as Prince Alfred, isn't it? Come to think of it, you both arrived around the same time, didn't you?" Ivan pressed. How could he be so intuitive? Katyusha and Natalya were watching closely now. "Y-yeah, funny isn't it?" He nervously laughed.

"Matvey, do you have something to tell us?" Ivan asked, a stone-cold interrogator. "I-I can't tell anyone." Matthew said, burying his face in Natalya's hair. Ivan just shrugged. "So, Katyusha." Ivan changed the subject. "What do you think of Prince Alfred?" Matthew bristled. "He seems nice. He sure eats a lot." She said. "Understatement of the century." "Have something to add, Matvey?" Ivan smiled coyly.

"Okay, I'll tell you. He is the worst person ever. And what really bothers me is he pretends he's this deep guy who loves when all he does is hang out with idiots. Yeah, I am a perv but at least I'm honest about it. He's pretentious! And he deludes himself by thinking he's some great hero, even though he's terrible! He's just a big, sad, arrogant asshole of a prince! I wish he wasn't my brother!"

"So the prince is your brother?"

"Uh oh…."

**Here's the next installment! I feel I'm pulling away from it being like a fairytale from a book, to an actual story…**

**Matthew's reaction to the last paragraph (._.) faq.**

**Ivan (^_^) I win**

**Katyusha (O_O) omg..**

**Natalya (w) a prince!**

**Hahaha! Review?**


	4. Chapter 4

After his slip-up he explained his situation to Ivan, Katyusha and Natalya. "I'm actually not very mad at Alfred." "But Matvey! He took everything away from you!" Katyusha argued "How couldn't you be mad at him?" Matthew sighed. "If he didn't do what he did, then I wouldn't be here with you guys." Matthew stood up, holding Natalya under her arms and began to swing her around. "And you guys are once in a lifetime friends!" He said as Natalya giggled.

"I never had friends as a prince. No one was honest to me, they were always agreeing with me, saying because I was prince, I was right. No one was really a friend; they all treated me like I was above them." Matthew put Natalya down and watched her take a few wobbly steps.

"But, I'm no better than anyone else really. I'm just, well, 'me'. I-I want to thank you guys for being my friends." Natalya clutched at Matthew's shirt, pouting determinedly.

"Big brother Matvey doesn't need to thank me! He'll always be my friend and my big brother!" Matthew picked her up again and nuzzled against her cheek, happy tears in his eyes. "You don't really have any need to thank us." Katyusha said also. Ivan nodded in agreement.

Matthew and Katyusha drove the flock back home, Ivan and Natalya following again, Natalya running between the geese, her little blonde head bobbing through the gray flock. By the time they made it back, Natalya was exhausted. Katyusha began to lead a sleepy Natalya back home, Ivan lingering with Matthew. "Matvey…" Matthew looked up at the larger male.

"I like you." Ivan told him and kissed him on the cheek. Matthew blushed, a hand raised to where Ivan kissed. "I-I like you too, Ivan." Ivan leaned down again and kissed Matthew on the lips. After they parted Ivan smirked. "Goodnight Matvey." He said, before turning around and going the way his sisters had gone just before him.

Matthew was blushing furiously, and by the time he finally got back to his home, he was still red enough to get the attention of Feliciano. "Are you-a alright Matthew?" He asked. "Y-Yeah." Was the only reply Matthew could give before he went to bed.

There would be no work the next day, because it was the day of the wedding of Prince Alfred and Princess Sakura. And of course Matthew wouldn't miss his brother's wedding.

**I have to say, this is one of my most popular stories. It's a considerably smaller one than my other ones too. But I 've had the most fun with this one, because I love fairytales. The Goose Girl was one of my favorite fairytales, my second favorite I believe. Thank you for reviewing. Keep up at it!**


	5. Chapter 5

As with all royal weddings, the public was allowed to view it, and of course Matthew couldn't just miss his brother's wedding, no matter who unfairly it was gained.

Ivan, Katyusha and Natalya accompanied him, giving him the strength he was sure he'd need to look at his brother. As he had said before, he didn't begrudge his brother, but still, it hurt to know someone you've trusted your whole life would turn around like that.

But either way they stood outside, where the wedding would be, milling around by a large tent. Matthew heard a very familiar voice. "Oh, Princess Sakura, how beautiful you are. I wish to thank you for choosing one of our sons." Matthew could hear his mother Queen Alice say. He hushed Ivan and Katyusha. "You guys!" He whispered "That's my mother in there! This must be the royal tent!"

"One of your sons? Oh, so you had more sons than just Alfred." King Yao said, sounding like there was a smile on his face. King Francis answered him. "Yes, you've already met one. By the way, where is Matthew, Alfred?" Matthew listened through the canvas, and heard the small, awkward silence. "Another son? But Alfred is the only son you sent us." King Yao sounded confused.

"But we sent Matthew with you, Alfred. What happened to your brother?" Queen Alice sounded worried. A softer voice spoke up, one they assumed belonged to Princess Sakura. "He came alone." She said. "No, you came with a servant, didn't you?" King Yao asked Alfred.

"Servant? Matthew and Alfred didn't bring any servants!" The worry in Queen Alice's voice became more evident. "Alfred. What happened to Mathieu?" King Francis asked softly. Alfred remained quiet for a moment. "I told him to resign being a Prince." He finally said.

"You what?" Queen Alice yelled. "Where is he?" She demanded. Matthew spoke, still on the opposite side of the tent. "I'm fine, Mother." He said, forgetting he was just listening.

It wasn't long before he heard skirts rustling and Queen Alice came around to where Matthew, Ivan, Katyusha and Natalya were. "Matthew!" She said, before hugging her son tight. King Francis came around and did the same after Queen Alice let go. "Oh, mon Mathieu, are you alright."

"I-I'm fine!" He squeaked. King Yao, Princess Sakura and Prince Alfred came around to the back of the tent too. Prince Alfred began to turn away, but Matthew reached out a hand and tugged on Prince Alfred's robes. "I'm not mad at you." He turned around, greeted by a grinning Matthew. "If you wanted to marry Princess Sakura, you could have just asked."

Matthew got himself free from his parent's grasp. "I remember when you told me about this little black-haired girl that you said took your heart. If you thought Princess Sakura was the girl, you should have just told me. Stupid." Matthew smiled. "I sort of have someone else…" He cast a quick look over his shoulder to Ivan.

Prince Alfred began to tear up. "I-I'm sorry Mattie! I c-couldn't think of anything else to do!" Matthew patted Prince Alfred's back. "I forgive you." He said, before turning to Ivan, Katyusha and Natalya. He lifted Natalya up and placed her on his shoulders. "You helped me, in a way." He said, smiling.

King Francis laid a hand on his son's occupied shoulder. "You're coming back with us, no?" Matthew looked up with a little fear. "B-But I can't leave them." "I never said you would." King Francis smiled gently. "We do have a few too many manors; I don't suppose you and your friends would mind taking one of them?"

Matthew smiled even more, taking Natalya off his shoulders, and pressed his nose against hers in an eskimo kiss. "Would you mind doing that, Natalya?" He asked. Natalya just cheered a little bit, giving her answer. "How about you two?" He asked looking back towards Ivan and Katyusha. "We'll be fine where ever you are, Matvey." Katyusha said gently. Ivan nodded.

"Very well Papa." Matthew told him.

"Well, I believe we have a wedding to begin."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, I'm back again mon petite lapins! Sorry for the super late update, but I've debating aboiut the wedding stuff, and then I have a bunch of other stuff to catch up on too. Feel free to hit me, just not too hard!**

The wedding would proceed as any wedding would in their country, and Matthew sat in the back of the church (on the groom's side of course), which only had a small selection of friends and family.

He had gotten his title back, and he dressed nicely in a red suit. He had Natalya in his lap, with a purple bow in her hair, and a pretty matching dress with beautiful white lace, that he had paid for, insisting on it.

Katyusha was on his left, a yellow headband, and a light, creamy yellow dress, with black lace, matching Natalya's. She sat slightly nervous, fiddling with her hands in her lap. Matthew reached over and laid a hand on hers, and smiled lightly.

She returned the smile, and squeezed his hand lightly in acknowledgement. "I've never been to a royal wedding. I'm afraid that I might mess up." She whispered. Matthew just smiled. "Don't worry, I've been to a few of these, like when one of our family friends, Roderich, married Elizaveta. I won't let you do anything embarrassing."

Ivan, on Matthew's right, nodded with approval. Matthew thought he looked dashing in his long black coat. He wore a white scarf over it, loosely wrapped around his neck.

Matthew looked to the altar, where his brother stood, tall, strong, and certain. He wore a suit just like Matthew's but in a light, baby blue shade. He looked a little nervous too, and he looked to Matthew, warm blue eyes meeting misty purple eyes.

Matthew smiled at him reassuringly, just as the first few soft notes started. Prince Alfred turned his attention to his bride walking down the aisle towards him. Princess Sakura was blushing slightly, clinging to her father's arm, who led her proudly.

She wore a longer kimono, which was her mother's wedding dress, and a small flower clip in her short black hair. Once they got up to the altar, King Yao released his daughter's hand and moved to the side with King Francis and Queen Alice to watch the proceedings.

Princess Sakura's empty hands were gently held by Prince Alfred, and they looked to the priest. The priest stepped forward, and smiled, his red eyes shining. The albino began to speak.

"You wanna get hitched? Cool. Kiss, sign here."

He said holding up the marriage license. Matthew tried not to laugh, knowing that this was exactly what his brother would have done, while everyone else sat in confusion.

Prince Alfred smiled at his bride's confused look, shrugged, and kissed her, with a good amount of gusto. Everyone was speechless with shock. Matthew stood up, and cheered. "Way to go!"

After a split second of shock, everyone else began cheering, and clapping, and crying happy tears. Prince Alfred and Princess Sakura signed the wedding license and ran out of the church, smiling and laughing. Matthew and everyone else stood up and cheered as they ran off into the waiting carriage.

Matthew hoisted Natalya onto his shoulders, and she cheered too. Soon people filtered out to see the newlyweds off, but Matthew and his group of friends stayed.

"So, how did you like the wedding, Katyusha?" He asked. She smiled. "It was beautiful, a little odd, but marvelous." Matthew nodded and looked to Natalya. "How about you?"

"I like it! Can we have another one?"

Matthew laughed. "But who's going to get married? You and Ivan?" He joked, Ivan watched with a pained expression. "No, silly!" Natalya said, surprising them. "_You_ and big brother Ivan!" She said, placed her small, chubby hands on his face, which was turning bright red.

"Ugh, Natalya, um…" He couldn't form any words. Ivan covered his mouth and tried not to laugh. Natalya pouted. "You two are going to get married, right?"

"Only if Ivan wears the dress."

Natalya smiled and cheered. "Yeah! Big brother Ivan gets to wear the dress!" Ivan paled a little.

"_I'm not wearing a dress_."

**Ah, finally reached the end! I have to admit though, I wanna see Ivan in a dress. **

**Well, this had a good run, eh? I'll leave whether or not Ivan wears a dress at their wedding up to you. XD**

**Well, Hasta la Pasta~!**


	7. UPDATE

Hey guys, so I know a few people (including myself) felt that this story had more potential than I really gave it, so I've been working on rewriting it! It's on my page under 'He Who Tends The Geese' I hope you'll read it, and even though there's only one chapter up so far, I like it a bunch more!

Hope to hear from you guys soon!


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